Persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a table

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a method and system for persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a copy-paste operation, in a multi dimensional spreadsheet. A set of ranges of cells is defined, wherein each range of cells has the same size. Each time the content of a range of cells belonging to this set is changed, a self-replication operation is performed automatically. The self-replication operation includes the steps of copying the changed range of cells onto a buffer; determining the set of ranges of cells to which the changed range of cells belongs; identifying the ranges of cells belonging to the set; and pasting the content of the buffer in each of the identified range of cells belonging to the set.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/240,163, filed Sep. 29, 2008, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 09/887,602, filed Jun. 22, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.7,472,339 B2, issued Dec. 30, 2008, which claims priority of applicationserial no. EP480096.7, filed Oct. 24, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of information processing bydigital computers, and more particularly to a method and system, in anelectronic spreadsheet, for persistently self-replicating multipleranges of cells through a copy-paste operation.

BACKGROUND

Before computers, numerical analyses, particularly financial ones, wereusually prepared on an accountant's columnar pad or spreadsheet, withpencil and calculator in hand. By organizing data into columns and rows,spreadsheets afford the rapid assimilation of information by a reader.The task of preparing a spreadsheet on paper, however, is laborious. Theprocess tends to be very slow, as each entry must be tediouslycalculated and entered into the spreadsheet. Since all calculations arethe responsibility of the preparer, manually prepared spreadsheets arealso prone to errors. Hence, preparation of spreadsheets by hand isslow, tedious, and unreliable.

With the advent of microcomputers, a solution was forthcoming in theform of “electronic spreadsheets. “Better known simply as“spreadsheets,” these software programs provide a computerizedreplacement for the traditional financial modeling tools: theaccountant's columnar pad, pencil, and calculator. In some regards,spreadsheet programs are to those tools what word processors are totypewriters. Spreadsheets offer dramatic improvements in ease ofcreating, editing, and using financial models.

A typical spreadsheet program configures the memory of a computer toresemble the column/row or grid format of an accountant's columnar pad,thus providing a visible calculator for a user. Because this “pad”exists dynamically in the computer's memory, however, it differs frompaper pads in several important ways. Locations in the electronicspreadsheet, for example, must be communicated to the computer in aformat which it can understand. A common scheme for accomplishing thisis to assign a number to each row in a spreadsheet, a letter to eachcolumn, and another letter to each sheet (or page) of the spreadsheet.To reference a location at column A and row 1 of the second page (i.e.,the upper-left hand corner), for example, the user types in “B:A1”. Inthis manner, the spreadsheet defines an addressable storage location or“cell” at each intersection of a row with a column within a given page.

Data entry into an electronic spreadsheet occurs in much the same mannerthat information would be entered on an accountant's pad. After a screencursor is positioned at a desired location, the user can enteralphanumeric information. Besides holding text and numeric information,however, spreadsheet cells can store special instructions or “formulas”specifying calculations to be performed on the numbers stored inspreadsheet cells. Such spreadsheet cells can also be defined and namedas a range as long as they are arranged as a contiguous set of cells. Atypical example of such a named range simply corresponds to a regulartable found in an accountant's pad. In this fashion, range names canserve as variables in an equation, thereby allowing precise mathematicalrelationships to be defined between cells. The structure and operationof a spreadsheet program, including advanced functions such as functionsand macros, are documented in the technical, trade, and patentliterature.

Electronic spreadsheets offer many advantages over their papercounterparts. For one, electronic spreadsheets are much larger (i.e.,hold more information) than their paper counterparts; electronicspreadsheets having thousands or even millions of cells are notuncommon. Spreadsheet programs also allow users to perform “what-if”scenarios. After a set of computational relationships has been enteredinto a worksheet, thanks to imbedded formulas for instance, the spreadof information can be recalculated using different sets of assumptions,with the results of each recalculation appearing almost instantaneously.Performing this operation manually, with paper and pencil, would requirerecalculating every relationship in the model with each change made.Thus, electronic spreadsheet systems were invented to solve “what-if”problems, that is, changing an input and seeing what happens to anoutput.

Cell ranges are used to automate the computations in a spreadsheet.Whether cells or cell ranges are named or not, they can be referencedwithin a formula either by a “relative” or an “absolute” reference. Sucha reference can be the address of the referenced cell range, or the nameof the referenced cell range if it turns that this cell range is named.

It is common to find in electronic spreadsheet based applications somelarge tables which are organized according to a structured way. Thisstructure typically results in organizing rows, columns and sheets insuch a way that the content of each of the cells within a given columnand within a given sheet can be obtained as the result of a copy-pasteoperation where the source copied cell is any cell within this samecolumn and same sheet. In such typical situations, this source cell cancontain a formula referencing in a relative or absolute way one orseveral other cells, so that each of the other cells within the samecolumn of the same sheet will also contain the same formula where theabsolute references will be kept unchanged and where the relativereferences will point to other relative cells.

Such a typical situation is illustrated in FIG. 3A where a table is usedto compute a sales item price according to some input data. In thistable, the content of the cell with address C6 (column entitled “UnitCost”) is for instance equal to the formula “@CostOf(B6)” where @CostOfis a dedicated function providing the cost of an item passed asparameter. In the same table, the content of the cell with address G6(column entitled “Exchange rate”) is for instance equal to the formula“@RateOf(F6)” where @RateOf is a dedicated function returning theexchange rate for a currency passed as parameter. In the same table, thecontent of the cell with address I6 (column entitled “Price”) is forinstance equal to the formula “C6*D6*G6/(1-$PROFIT)” where “PROFIT” isthe name given to the cell range with address I3 where the profit figureis recorded. The content of each cell within the “Unit Cost” table canbe obtained by copy-pasting the cell with address C6, so that thecontent of the cell with address Cx (where x takes the values 7 to 10)is found equal to “@CostOf(Bx)”. In this way, each of the cells withaddress C6 to C10 is virtually a “replicate” of all the other cells withaddress C6 to C10 through a copy-paste operation, meaning that any cellwithin this set can be derived from any other one within the same setthrough a copy-paste operation. Similarly, the content of the cells withaddress Gx and with address Ix are obtained by copy-pasting the contentof the cells with address G6 and with address I6, respectively. Thecontent is equal to “@RateOf(Fx)” and to “Cx*Dx*Gx/(1-$PROFIT)”respectively. Thus, the cells with address G6 to G10 and the cells withaddress I6 to I10 are virtually “self replicating” through a copy-pasteoperation. The copy-paste operation is thus a powerful tool for applyingin many different cells, or ranges of cells, the content of a given cellor of a given range of cells. Nevertheless this copy-paste operationpresents some limitations, as outlined hereafter.

Assume that in our example the content of the cells within a tablecolumn needs to be updated to reflect some structural change of thetable to which it belongs. Such a structural change is illustrated inFIG. 3B where the profit parameter (used to derive a price from a cost)is no longer constant for all sold items (as shown in FIG. 3A with thecell of address I3, and named “PROFIT”), but depends on the sold itemitself, as represented in the table by the cells within the columnentitled “Profit”. Under this new rule, the content of the cell withaddress I6 (within the column entitled “Price”) is now equal to theformula “C6*D6*G6/(1−H6)”. In order to reflect this table structuralupdate in the other cells of the same “Price” column, it is necessary toreapply the copy-paste operation from the top column cell to all theother column cells following the same logic, that is the cells withaddress I7 to I10 as shown in FIG. 3B. More generally, this operationmust be carefully done each time a given range of cells content isupdated and must be applied to all the other ranges of cells which havebeen initially self replicated with this given range of cells through acopy-paste operation.

With large and complex spreadsheets, such a task may take quite a longtime and be error prone, because the spreadsheet user may miss some ofthe ranges of cells where the copy-paste operation must be reapplied.When this happens, the resulting spreadsheet provides erroneous results.The present invention offer a powerful and efficient solution to thisproblem by defining a method and a system for persistentlyself-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a copy-pasteoperation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of information processing bydigital computers, and more particularly to methods and systems forpersistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through acopy-paste operation, in a multi dimensional spreadsheet. The methodincludes defining a set of ranges of cells, each range of cells havingthe same size, and each time the content of a range of cells belongingto this set is changed, automatically performing a self-replicationoperation. The self-replication operation includes: copying the changedrange of cells onto a buffer; determining the set of ranges of cells towhich the changed range of cells belongs identifying the ranges of cellsbelonging to the set; and pasting the content of the buffer in eachidentified range of cells belonging to the set.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will best be understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a computer system in which the presentinvention may be embodied.

FIG. 1B is a schematic view a software system including an operatingsystem, software application, and a user interface for carrying out thepresent invention.

FIG. 1C illustrates the basic architecture and functionality of agraphical user interface in which the present invention may be embodied.

FIG. 2A shows a spreadsheet notebook interface according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B shows the toolbar component of the notebook interface shown inFIG. 2A.

FIGS. 2C and 2D show page identifiers for rapidly accessing andmanipulating individual pages of the notebook interface shown in FIG.2A.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a typical spreadsheet structure used in oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the structure of the persistent self-replicationtable, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, illustrate a spreadsheet user interface for invoking thepersistent self-replicating operation, according to the presentinvention.

FIGS. 6A, 6B are a flow chart illustrating a method for managing objectsinvolved in Persistent Self-Replication operations, according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method for performing a persistentcopy-paste operation, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

System Hardware

As shown in FIG. 1A, the present invention may be embodied on a computersystem 100 comprising a central processor 101, a main memory 102, aninput/output controller 103, a keyboard 104, a pointing device 105(e.g., mouse, track ball, pen device, or the like), a display device106, and a mass storage 107 (e.g., hard disk). Additional input/outputdevices, such as a printing device 108, may be included in the system100 as desired. As illustrated, the various components of the system 100communicate through a system bus 110 or similar architecture. In oneembodiment, the computer system 100 includes an IBM-compatible personalcomputer, which is available from several vendors (includingInternational Business Machine—IBM Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.).

Illustrated in FIG. 1B, a computer software system 150 is provided fordirecting the operation of the computer system 100. Software system 150,which is stored in system memory 102 and on disk memory 107, includes akernel or operating system 151 and a shell or interface 153. One or moreapplication programs, such as application software 152, may be “loaded”(i.e., transferred from storage 107 into memory 102) for execution bythe system 100. The system 100 receives user commands and data throughuser interface 153; these inputs may then be acted upon by the system100 in accordance with instructions from operating system 151 and/orapplication software 152. The interface 153, which is preferably agraphical user interface (GUI), also serves to display results,whereupon the user may supply additional inputs or terminate thesession. In one embodiment, operating system 151 and interface 153 areMicrosoft Win95, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.Application software 152, on the other hand, includes a spreadsheetnotebook of the present invention as described in further detail hereinbelow.

Interface

The following description will focus on embodiments of the presentinvention that include spreadsheet applications operative in theMicrosoft Win95 environment. The present invention, however, is notlimited to any particular application or any particular environment.Instead, those skilled in the art will find that the system and methodsof the present invention may be advantageously applied to a variety ofsystem and application software, including database management systems,word processors, and the like. Moreover, the present invention may beembodied on a variety of different platforms, including Macintosh, UNIX,NextStep, and the like. Therefore, the descriptions of the exemplaryembodiments which follow are for purposes of illustration and notlimitation.

Referring now to FIG. 1C, the system 100 includes a workspace or window160. Window 160 is a rectangular, graphical user interface (GUI) fordisplay on screen 106; additional windows may be displayed in varioussizes and formats (e.g., tiled or cascaded), as desired. At the top ofwindow 160 is a menu bar 170 with a plurality of user-command choices,each of which may invoke additional submenus and software tools for usewith application objects. Window 160 includes a client area 180 fordisplaying and manipulating screen objects, such as graphic object 181and text object 182. In essence, the client area is a workspace orviewport for the user to interact with data objects which reside withinthe computer system 100.

Window 160 includes a screen cursor or pointer 185 for selecting andotherwise invoking screen objects of interest. In response to usermovement signals from the pointing device 105, the cursor 185 floats(i.e., freely moves) across the screen 106 to a desired screen location.During or after cursor movement, the user may generate user-eventsignals (e.g., mouse button “clicks” and “drags”) for selecting andmanipulating objects, as is known in the art. For example, window 160may be closed, re-sized, or scrolled by “clicking” (selecting) screencomponents 172, 174/5, and 177/8, respectively.

In one embodiment, screen cursor 185 is controlled with a mouse device.Single-button, double-button, or triple-button mouse devices areavailable from a variety of vendors, including Apple Computer ofCupertino, Calif., Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and LogitechCorporation of Fremont, Calif., respectively. More preferably, screencursor control device 105 is a two-button mouse device, including bothright and left “mouse buttons.”

Programming techniques and operations for mouse devices are welldocumented in the programming and hardware literature; see e.g.,Microsoft Mouse Programmer's Reference, Microsoft Press, 1989. Thegeneral construction and operation of a GUI event-driven system, such asMicrosoft Windows, is also known in the art: see, e.g., Petzold, C.,Programming Windows, Second Edition, Microsoft Press, 1990. Thedisclosures of each are hereby incorporated by reference.

Interface Embodiment

A spreadsheet notebook interface of the present invention will now bedescribed.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the spreadsheet notebook or workbook of the presentinvention includes a notebook workspace 200 for receiving, processing,and presenting information, including alphanumeric as well as graphicinformation. Notebook workspace 200 includes a menu bar 210, a toolbar220, a current cell indicator 230, an input line 231, a status line 240,and a notebook window 250. The menu bar 210 displays and invokes, inresponse to user inputs, a main level of user commands. Menu 210 alsoinvokes additional pull down menus, as is known in windowingapplications. Input line 231 accepts user commands and information forthe entry and editing of cell contents, which may include data,formulas, macros, and the like. Indicator 230 displays an address forthe current cursor (i.e., active cell) position, or the address or nameof a selected named range (i.e. active selection). At the status line240, system 100 displays information about the current state of theworkbook; for example, a “READY” indicator means that the system isready for the user to select another task to be performed.

The toolbar 220, shown in further detail in FIG. 2B, comprises a row orpalette of tools which provide a quick way for the user to choosecommonly-used menu commands or properties. In an exemplary embodiment,toolbar 220 includes file manipulation buttons 221, printing buttons222, an undo button 223, cut, copy, and paste buttons 224, informationpop-up window buttons tool 225, a named range selection button 226, astyle copy button 227, a column re-sizing button 228, and a sum button229. The functions of these buttons are suggested by their names. Forinstance, buttons 224 cut, copy and paste data and objects to and fromWindows' clipboard. The same actions are also available as correspondingcommands in the Edit menu (available from menu bar 210).

The notebook, which provides an interface for entering and displayinginformation of interest, includes a plurality of spreadsheet pages. Eachpage may include conventional windowing features and operations, such asmoving, re-sizing, and deleting. In one embodiment, the notebookincludes 256 spreadsheet pages, all of which are saved as a single diskfile on the mass storage 107. Workspace 200 may display one or morenotebooks, each sized and positioned (e.g., tiled, overlapping, and thelike) according to user-specified constraints.

Each spreadsheet page of a notebook includes a two-dimensional spread.Page A from the notebook 200, for example, includes a grid in row andcolumn format, such as row 3 and column F. At each row/columnintersection, a box or cell (e.g., cell C4) is provided for entering,processing, and displaying information in a conventional manner. Eachcell is addressable, with a selector being provided for indicating acurrently active cell (i.e., the cell that is currently selected).

As shown in FIGS. 2C-D, individual notebook pages are identified by pageidentifiers 260, preferably located along one edge of a notebook. In oneembodiment, each page identifier is in the form of a tab member (e.g.,members 261 a, 262 a, 263 a) situated along a top edge of the notebook.Each tab member may include representative indicia, such as textual orgraphic labels, including user selected titles representing the contentsof a corresponding page. In FIG. 2C, the tab members 260 are set totheir respective default names. For example, the first three tab members(members 261 a, 262 a, 263 a) are respectively set to A, B, and C. Tabmembers are typically given descriptive names provided by the user,however. As shown in FIG. 2D, for example, the first three tab membershave now been set to “Contents” (tab member 261 b), “Summary” (tabmember 262 b), and “Jan” (tab member 263 b). In a similar manner, theremaining tabs are set to subsequent months of the year. In this manner,the user associates the page identifiers with familiar tabs from anordinary paper notebook. Thus, the user already knows how to select apage or spread of interest: simply select the tab corresponding to thepage (as one would do when selecting a page from a paper notebook).

In addition to aiding in the selection of an appropriate page ofinformation, the user-customizable page identifiers serve to aid in theentry of spreadsheet named range addresses. For example, when entering aformula referring to a named range of cells on another page, the usermay simply use the descriptive page name in the named range address,thus making it easier for the user to understand the relationship of thecell(s) or information being referenced.

A general description of the features and operation of the spreadsheetnotebook interface may be found in Quattro Pro for Windows (GettingStarted, User's Guide and Building Spreadsheet Applications), availablefrom Borland International.

Persistent Self-Replicating Operation

As the power of spreadsheet environments has increased over the lastseveral years, it is possible today to develop complex customapplications based solely on spreadsheets, as opposed to applicationsdeveloped with general purpose programming languages like C++ orVisualBasic from Microsoft Corporation. This can be achieved usingspreadsheet imbedded tools such as macro languages, script languages,and formulas. In large spreadsheets, it is common to find structuredtables where the content of some cells are directly derived from thecontents of other cells using formulas which translate the relationshipbetween these cells.

Such formulas can be quite complex, consequently it is advantageous tocopy-paste such a formula, once established, from a given cell onto allthe other cells where the same relationship exists. If this relationshipevolves during the life of a spreadsheet, however, then the spreadsheetuser must first update a first cell content (typically rewriting theformula it holds), and then the spreadsheet user must again perform acopy-paste operation between this first cell and all the cells whosecontent was previously obtained from the reference cell content with acopy-paste operation. In addition to the time spent by the user inperforming this operation, there is a risk of applying this newcopy-paste operation to the wrong set of cells: either some cells thatneed to be copy-pasted again may be missed, or some cells may becopy-pasted that should not be. In both cases, the resulting spreadsheethas been incorrectly updated, so that it provides erroneous results.

The present invention offers a user-friendly solution to this problem bydefining a method and system that enables persistent self-replication ofmultiple ranges of cells through a copy-paste operation.

Self-Replication Manager Embodiment

In contrast to the conventional tools just-described, the presentinvention provides a more powerful, user-friendly and interactiveapproach for persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cellsthrough a copy-paste operation using a Self-Replication manager.

The manager automatically allows the spreadsheet user to: create orrename or delete a set of persistently self-replicating ranges of cells,or add or suppress a given range of cells to or from a set ofpersistently self-replicating ranges of cells, and self-replicate anycontent update from a given range of cells belonging to a set ofpersistently self-replicating ranges of cells to all the other ranges ofcells belonging to the same set of persistently self-replicating rangesof cells.

For descriptive clarity, a persistently self-replicating range of cellswhich can take advantage of the present invention will be called“persistently self-replicating range” or “PSRR”, and a set of PSRR willbe called “persistently self-replicating set” or “PSRS”

Persistently self-replicating range and persistently self-replicatingset

In one embodiment, PSRR can be easily identified on the display device106 within the work area 180 of the window 160 by using some specificcell attributes, such as a font style or font color or background coloror border line style or border line color or background pattern, etc. Inone embodiment, the background pattern of a PSRR is set to a firstpattern value referred to as PATTERN_PSRR. PSRS are uniquely identifiedby a logical identifier which can take multiple forms. In one embodimentof the present invention, PSRS are uniquely identified by a namecorresponding to a character string of limited length.

Scenario

In one embodiment, the present invention may be used in two steps:

The first step occurs when the spreadsheet user decides, based oncriteria not developed here, to take advantage of the present inventionby using the self-replication manager for either creating, or deleting,or renaming a PSRS; or for either adding or removing a PSRR to/from aPSRS.

If so, the spreadsheet user can follow in sequence the following steps:

First the spreadsheet user optionally selects a range of cells by usingconventional means such as (but not limited to) the pointing device 105or the keyboard 104.

Then the spreadsheet user invokes an extension of the regularspreadsheet editing facilities using conventional means available inspreadsheet environment, such as (but not limited to) dedicatedpush-buttons, keyboard entry short cuts, menu or sub menu entries. Thisextension of the regular editing facilities corresponds to a specificcommand called “Self_Replication_Manager”. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, this Self_Replication_Manager command is invoked byclicking with the pointing device 105 on a menu entry 501 “SelfReplication” within the conventional “Edit” menu 500 of an electronicspreadsheet, as shown in FIG. 5A. It results in displaying on thedisplay device 106 a specific Self-Replication Dialog Box 510, as shownin FIG. 5B.

Then the spreadsheet user can take advantage of the different toolsavailable within the Self-Replication Dialog Box 510, according to thefollowing list:

The “Name” text box 511 and the “Create” push-button 517 can be used tocreate a new PSRS. For this purpose the spreadsheet user first fillsthis “Name text box 511 with the name of the new PSRS to be created andthen clicks on the “Create” push-button 517. As a result, the newlycreated PSRS now appears within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512.

The “Existing PSRS” list box 512 and the “Delete” push-button 518 can beused to delete an existing PSRS. For this purpose, the spreadsheet userfirst selects within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512 the name of thePSRS to be deleted (if not visible within the “Existing PSRS” list box512, the spreadsheet user can simply use the scroll bar 523 with thepointing device 105 to let the desired PSRS name appear within the“Existing PSRS” list box 512), and then clicks on the “Delete”push-button 518. As a result, the just deleted PSRS disappears from the“Existing PSRS” list box 512.

The “Name” text box 511, the “Existing PSRS” list box 512 and the“Rename” push-button 519 can be used to change the name of an existingPSRS. For this purpose, the spreadsheet user first selects within the“Existing PSRS” list box 512 the name of the PSRS to be renamed (if notvisible within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512, the spreadsheet usercan simply use the scroll bar 523 with the pointing device 105 to letthe desired PSRS name appear within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512),then fills the “Name” text box 511 with the new name of the PSRS, andthen clicks on the “Rename” push-button 518. As a result, the new nameof the existing PSRS now appears within the “Existing PSRS” list box512.

The “Existing PSRR members” list box 513 can be used to visualize allthe PSRRS belonging to the PSRS currently selected within the “ExistingPSRS” list box 512. To do this, the spreadsheet user first selectswithin the “Existing PSRS” list box 512 the name of the PSRS to bevisualized (if not visible within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512, thespreadsheet user can simply use the scroll bar 523 with the pointingdevice 105 to let the desired PSRS name appear within the “ExistingPSRS” list box 512), and then clicks on the scroll bar 524 with thepointing device 105 to display in the “Existing PSRR members” list box513 every PSRR belonging to the PSRS selected in the “Existing PSRS”list box 512.

The “Existing PSRR members” list box 513 and the “Suppress” push-button521 can be used to remove a given PSRR from the PSRS currently selectedwithin the “Existing PSRS” list box 512. To do this, the spreadsheetuser first selects within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512 the name ofthe PSRS from which one member must be removed (if not visible withinthe “Existing PSRS” list box 512, the spreadsheet user can simply usethe scroll bar 523 with the pointing device 105 to let the desired PSRSname appear within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512). The user thenselects within the “Existing PSRR members” list box 513 the name of thePSRR to be removed (if not visible within the “Existing PSRR members”list box 513, the spreadsheet user can simply use the scroll bar 524with the pointing device 105 to let the desired PSRR name appear withinthe “Existing PSRR members” list box 513), and then clicks on the“Suppress” push-button 521. As a result, the just deleted PSRRdisappears from the “Existing PSRR” list box 513, and its backgroundpattern is changed from the value PATTERN_PSRR to its original value(before it was turned as a PSRR).

The “Range” text box 514, the “Select” push-button 522 and the “Add”push-button 520 can be used to add a new PSRR to the PSRS currentlyselected within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512. To do this, thespreadsheet user first checks that the “Range” text box 514 holds theaddress of the range of cells to be added. By default, the “Range” textbox 514 contains the address of the range of cells which was selected inthe electronic spreadsheet just before invoking theSelf_Replication_Manager command. The user can change this default rangeby clicking on the “Select” push-button 522 and then use the pointingdevice 105 to select the desired range of cells within the electronicspreadsheet. When the “Range” text box 514 holds the address of theright range of cells to be added, the user clicks on the “Add”push-button 520. As a result, the newly added PSRR now appears withinthe “Existing PSRR members” list box 513, and its background pattern ischanged into a new pattern with value PATTERN_PSRR.

The “Cancel” push-button 516 and the “OK” push-button 515 can be used bythe spreadsheet user to close the Self-Replication Dialog Box 510.

The second step occurs when the spreadsheet user updates a cellbelonging to a

PSRR which is itself a member of a PSRS:

If the spreadsheet user updates the content of a cell belonging to aPSRR, the self-replication manager invokes by itself a specific commandcalled “Persistent_Self_Replicate” which automatically reflects thisupdate in all the other PSRR belonging to the same PSRS than the updatedPSRR. This “Persistent_Self_Replicate” operation is fully automated,without involvement of the spreadsheet user, and is itself based on acopy-paste operation applied by the self-replication manager between theupdated PSRR and all the other PSRR belonging to the same PSRS.

Persistent Self-Replication Table

The decision to create, delete, or rename a PSRS, or to add or suppressa PSRR to or from a PSRS, belongs to the spreadsheet user. When such anoperation occurs, a common repository, called the “PersistentSelf-Replication Table”, is used to record the data required by thisoperation. This Persistent Self-Replication Table is preferably saved ona non volatile memory (typically but not necessary as part of thespreadsheet disk file on the mass storage 107.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the Persistent Self-Replication Table 400corresponds to a simple logical structure made of several records 401,each of which corresponds to a PSRR and includes five fields:

The “PSRS Name” 402 field is used for identifying uniquely the PSRSassociated with the current record 401.

The “PSRR Address” 403 field is used for identifying uniquely the PSRRwithin the spreadsheet. For instance, the “PSRR Address” can correspondto the conventional address structure Sheet:RowColumn..Sheet:RowColumnassociated with every range of cells (For example D:E10..D:G20 with D asSheet name, E and G as Row name/number, 10 and 20 as Columnname/number).

The “PSRR Pattern” field 404 records the background pattern of the PSRR,before being member of a PSRS.

The “Set Index” field 405 is used for navigating within theSelf-Replication Table 400.

The “Range Index” field 406 is used for navigating within theSelf-Replication Table 400.

The record 410 located at the beginning of the PersistentSelf-Replication Table 400 is referred to as the top record.

In one embodiment, the Persistent Self-Replication Table 400 isexplicitly included within the spreadsheet file itself, but otherimplementations can be used instead.

Methods

Self_Replication_Manager Method

The method of handling user requests to take advantage of the presentinvention is detailed in flowchart 600 of FIGS. 6A, 6B. This method maybe thought of as the processing of the Self_Replication_Manager commandused for creating, or deleting, or renaming a PSRS, and for adding orsuppressing a PSRR to or from a PSRS. The method comprises the followingsteps:

At step 601, the method is in its default state, waiting for an event toinitiate the process.

At step 602, an event is detected, as a result of a user action. Thisaction may be for instance, a specific combination of keys on thekeyboard 104, or the click of the pointing device 105 on a specificbutton, or any other similar means not further specified here.

At step 603, local variables are initialized: the PSRSindex variable isset to the value 0, the PSRRindex variable is set to the value 0, theNewName variable is set to the value “ ” (empty string), and theNewRange variable is set to the character string representing theaddress of the electronic spreadsheet current selection.

At step 604, the Self-Replication Dialog Box 510 is displayed on thedisplay device 106. The “Name” text box 511 is filled with the variableNewName. The “Existing PSRS” list box 512 is filled with the names foundin the “PSRS Name” fields 402 of the various records 401 of theSelf-Replicating Table 400. Within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512, theactive item corresponds to the record 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 isequal to PSRSIndex. The “Existing PSRR members” list box 513 is filledwith the addresses found in the “PSRR Address” fields 403 of the variousrecords 401 of the Self-Replicating Table 400 for which the “Set Index”field 405 is equal to PSRSIndex. Within the “Existing PSRR members” listbox 513, the active item corresponds to the record 401 whose “RangeIndex” field 406 is equal to PSRRIndex. The “Range” text box 514 isfilled with the variable NewRange.

At step 605, the method is waiting for any user action on theSelf-Replication Dialog Box 510. Such user action typically results froma click with the pointing device 105, but may be a specific combinationof keys on the keyboard 104, or any other similar means not furtherspecified here.

At step 606, a user action on the Self-Replication Dialog Box 510 isdetected. If the user action is a change of the content of the “Name”text box 511, then control is given to step 609; if the user action is aselection with the pointing device 105 of an item within the “ExistingPSRS” list box 512, then control is given to step 622; if the useraction is a selection with the pointing device 105 of an item within the“Existing PSRR members” list box 513, then control is given to step 621;if the user action is a change of the content of the “Range” text box514, then control is given to step 610; if the user action is a click onthe push-button “OK” 515, then control is given to step 607; if the useraction is a click on the push-button “Cancel” 516, then control is givento step 607; if the user action is a click on the push-button “Create”517, then control is given to step 627; if the user action is a click onthe push-button “Delete” 518, then control is given to step 626; if theuser action is a click on the push-button “Rename” 519, then control isgiven to step 608; if the user action is a click on the push-button“Add” 520, then control is given to step 624; if the user action is aclick on the push-button “Suppress” 521, then control is given to step625; if the user action is a click on the push-button “Select” 522, thencontrol is given to step 623; if the user action is a click on the uparrow of the scroll bar 523, then control is given to step 618; if theuser action is a click on the down arrow of the scroll bar 523, thencontrol is given to step 611; if the user action is a click on the uparrow of the scroll bar 524, then control is given to step 620;if theuser action is a click on the down arrow of the scroll bar 524, thencontrol is given to step 612.

At step 607, the Self-Replication Dialog Box 510 is closed, so that itdisappears from the display device 106, and control is given back to theinitial step 601 for treating any future Self_Replication_Managercommand.

At step 608, in the Self-Replication Table 400, all the records 401having a “Set Index” field 405 equal to PSRSIndex are updated byreplacing their “PSRS name” field 402 by NewName. Then control is givento step 631.

At step 609, the character string specified by the spreadsheet user inthe “Name” text box 511 is checked against all the already defined PSRSnames, as recorded in the “PSRS Name” field 402 of all the records 401of the Self-Replication Table 400. If the character string is new, i.e.it does not match any already defined name, then control is given tostep 616; otherwise control is given to step 613.

At step 610, the character string specified by the spreadsheet user inthe “Range” text box 514 is checked against a set of rules not detailedhere to determine if it is or not a valid range address. Such rules aretypically implementation-dependent and thus do not fall within the scopeof the present invention. If the result of this checking is that thischaracter string is found to be valid, then control is given to step617, otherwise control is given to step 613.

At step 611, the variable PSRSIndex is decremented, unless the minimumvalue (equal to zero) has been reached. Then control is given to step619.

At step 612, the variable PSRRIndex is decremented, unless the minimumvalue (equal to zero) has been reached. Then control is given to step631.

At step 613, an error message notification is issued to warn the userthat the character string checked at step 609 or 610 has not been foundto be correct. This can typically be done by displaying on the displaydevice 106 an error message in a pop-up window, but any other similarmeans could be used instead, without departing from the spirit of thepresent invention.

At step 614, the method is waiting for a user acknowledgement, meaningthat the error message notification of step 613 has been received by thespreadsheet user.

At step 615, the user acknowledgement is detected. This may typically bea click, of the pointing device 105, on an “OK” push-button within thepop-up window that is typically displayed during the step 613, but othersimilar means can be used instead without departing from the spirit ofthe present invention. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 616, the value of the variable NewName is set equal to thecharacter string within the “Name” text box 511. Then control is givento step 631.

At step 617, the value of the variable NewRange is set equal to thecharacter string within the “Range” text box 514. Then control is givento step 631.

At step 618, the variable PSRSIndex is incremented, unless the maximumvalue (equal to the number of different values of the “PSRS Name” field401) is already reached.

At step 619, the variable PSRRIndex is set equal to zero. Then controlis given to step 631.

At step 620, the variable PSRRIndex is incremented, unless the maximumvalue (equal to the number of records 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 isequal to PSRSIndex) has been reached. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 621, the variable PSRRindex is set equal to the value of the“Range Index” field 406 of the record 401 of the Self-Replication table400 corresponding to the user selection of the “Existing PSRR members”list box 513. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 622, the variable PSRSindex is set equal to the value of the“Set Index” field 405 of the record 401 of the Self-Replication table400 corresponding to the user selection of the “Existing PSRS” list box512. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 623, the method uses conventional means to let the user select arange within the spreadsheet. Such means may, for instance, rely on apop-up window within which the user enters through the keyboard 104 theaddress of the range to select, or such means may rely on a pointingdevice 105 mode where the user clicks on the range to select, or suchmeans may rely on other similar ways not further described here. Thencontrol is given to step 628.

At step 624, a new record 401 is added to the Self-Replication table400. The “PSRS Name” field 402 is set equal to the value of the “PSRSName” field 402 of the record 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 is equalto PSRSIndex, the “PSRR Address” field 403 is set equal to the variableNewRange, the “PSRR pattern” field 404 is set equal to the value of thebackground pattern of the range with address NewRange, the “Set Index”field 405 is set equal to PSRSindex, the “Range Index” field 406 is setequal to the number of PSRR incremented by one. Then control is given tostep 629.

At step 625, the background pattern of the range with address equal tothe value of the “PSRR Address” field 403 of the record 401 whose “SetIndex” field 405 is equal to PSRSIndex and whose “Range Index” field 406is equal to PSRRIndex is set equal to the value of the “PSRR pattern”field 404 of the record 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 is equal toPSRSIndex and whose “Range Index” field 406 is equal to PSRRIndex. Thencontrol is given to step 630. The Persistent_Self_Replicate method is nolonger set as the routine handling the cell content modification eventfor the range of cells with address equal to the value of the “PSRRAddress” field 403 of the record 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 isequal to PSRSIndex and whose “Range Index” field 406 is equal toPSRRIndex.

At step 626, all the records 401 of the Self-Replication table 400 aredeleted if their “Set Index” field 405 is equal to PSRSIndex. Then thevariable PSRSIndex is decremented, unless equal to zero. Then control isgiven to step 631.

At step 627, a new record 401 is added to the Self-Replication table400. The “PSRS Name” field 402 is set equal to the variable NewName, the“PSRR Address” field 403 is left empty, the “PSRR pattern” field 404 isleft empty, the “Set Index” field 405 is set equal to the number of PSRSincremented by one, and the “Range Index” field 406 is left empty. Thencontrol is given to step 631.

At step 628, the variable NewRange is set equal to the address of therange retrieved at step 623. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 629, the background pattern of the range of cells with addressequal to NewRange takes the value PATTERN_PSRR. ThePersistent_Self_Replicate method is set as the routine handling the cellcontent modification event for the range of cells with address equal toNewRange. Then control is given to step 631.

At step 630, the record 401 in the Self-Replication table 400 with “SetIndex” field 405 equal to PSRSindex and with “Range Index” field 406equal to PSRRindex, is deleted. Then the variable PSRRIndex isdecremented, unless equal to zero.

At step 631, the Self-Replication Table 400 is first rearranged and thensorted so that the set of values taken by the “Set Index” fields 405 iscontiguous and so that the sets of values taken by the “Range Index”field 406 for a given value of the “Set Index” field 405 are contiguous.Then the Self-replication Dialog Box 510 display fields are refreshed.The “Name” text box 511 is filled with the variable NewName. The“Existing PSRS” list box 512 is filled with the names found in the “PSRSName” fields 402 of the various records 401 of the Self-ReplicatingTable 400. Within the “Existing PSRS” list box 512, the active itemcorresponds to the record 401 whose “Set Index” field 405 is equal toPSRSIndex. The “Existing PSRR members” list box 513 is filled with theaddresses found in the “PSRR Address” fields 403 of the various records401 of the Self-Replicating Table 400 for which the “Set Index” field405 is equal to PSRSIndex. Within the “Existing PSRR members” list box513, the active item corresponds to the record 401 whose “Range Index”field 406 is equal to PSRRIndex. The “Range” text box 514 is filled withthe variable NewRange. Then control is given back to step 605 forwaiting for a new user action to treat.

F.2. Persistent_Self_Replicate Method

The method for automatically reflecting an update of the content of aPSRR onto the other PSRR belonging to the same PSRS to take advantage ofthe present invention is summarized in flowchart 700 of FIG. 7. Thismethod may be thought of as the processing of the “Persistent_SelfReplicate” command which is invoked each time the content of a PSRR ischanged, as outlined in the step 629 of the Self_Replication_Managermethod.

The method comprises the following steps:

At step 701, the method is in its default state, waiting for an event toinitiate the process.

At step 702, an event is detected, as a result of a PSRR content update.

At step 703, the address of the updated PSRR, considered as a parameterof the Persistent_Self_Replicate command, is retrieved under the nameCurrPSRR.

At step 704, a regular copy operation is performed on the PSRR withaddress CurrPSRR.

At step 705, the top record 410 of the Self-Replication Table 400 is setas the current record 401 of the table.

At step 706, the “PSRR Address” field 403 of the current record 401 ofthe Self-Replication Table 400 is compared against CurrPSRR. If foundequal, then control is given to step 707; otherwise control is given tostep 713.

At step 707, the local variable CurrSetIndex is set equal to the valueof the “Set Index” field 405 of the current record 401 of theSelf-Replication Table 400.

At step 708, the top record 410 of the Self-Replication Table 400 is setas the current record 401 of the table.

At step 709, the “Set Index” field 405 of the current record 401 of theSelf-Replication Table 400 is compared against CurrSetIndex. If foundequal, then control is given to step 710; otherwise control is given tostep 711.

At step 710, a regular paste operation is performed on the range ofcells pointed by the “PSRR Address” field 403 of the current record 401of the Self-Replication Table 400.

At step 711, a test is performed to check if the current record 401 ofthe Persistent Copy-Paste Table 400 is in fact the last record of thistable. If it is the last record, then control is given to the initialstep 701 for handling any new future command; otherwise control is givento step 712.

At step 712, the next record of the Persistent Copy-Paste Table 400 isset as the new current record 401 of this table. Then control is givento step 709.

At step 713, a test is performed to check if the current record 401 ofthe Self-Replication Table 400 is in fact the last record of this table.If it is the last record, then control is given to step 714; otherwisecontrol is given to step 715.

At step 714, a “Should Not Occur” condition is logged as it is normallyimpossible not to find in the Self-Replication table 400 a record 401with a “PSRR Address” field 403 equal to the parameter CurrPSRR of thecommand. Then control is given to step 701 for handing any new futurecommand.

At step 715, the next record of the Self-Replication Table 400 is set asthe new current record 401 of this table. Then control is given to step706.

Alternate Embodiments

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to one embodiment, it will be understood that various changesin form and detail may be made therein without departing from thespirit, and scope of the invention.

The Persistently Self-Replication method and system according to thepresent invention may be used advantageously in those environments whereelements of information are organized as multidimensional tables havingmore than three dimensions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method forself-replicating ranges of cells in a spreadsheet, the method comprisingexecuting on a central processor the steps of: displaying aself-replication manager command within a graphical user interfacespreadsheet editing menu to a user; displaying a self-replicationmanager menu within the graphical user interface to the user in responseto the user invoking the self-replication manager command, thedisplaying comprising: listing of a plurality of unique set names thatare each assigned to one each of a plurality of different sets of rangesof cells of a spreadsheet, wherein each of the unique set names areassigned to at least one of the ranges, and each of the ranges of cellscomprise a plurality of different cells of the spreadsheet; and listingat least one range of the plurality of the ranges that is assigned toone of the unique set names and that is selected by a user input; andautomatically entering an update entered by a user into one of the cellsof the ranges of the selected set into all other ones of the cells ofthe ranges assigned to the selected unique set name by: establishing atop record within a self replication table containing an address fieldof the unique set name, a pattern of the cells of the ranges assigned tothe selected unique set name, and set and range indices of the cells ofthe ranges assigned to the selected unique set name; setting the toprecord of the self replication table as the current record; and updatingthe all other ones of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selectedunique set name set by retrieving the address field of the unique setname from the top record of the self replication table set as thecurrent record and pasting the update entered by the user into the oneof the cells into the all other ones of the cells of the ranges assignedto the selected unique set name that are pointed to by the retrievedaddress field.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displayingwithin the self-replication manager menu: a suppress button that causesthe central processor to delete one of the ranges that is assigned tothe selected set of ranges from the list of ranges in response to aselection of the suppress button by the user via the graphical userinterface; and an add button that causes the central processor to assignanother range that is identified in a range field to the selected set ofranges in response to a selection of the add button by the user via thegraphical user interface.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprisingdisplaying within the self-replication manager menu: a rename buttonthat causes the central processor to rename the unique name of theselected set of ranges of cells with another unique name entered into arename text box in response to a selection of the rename button by theuser via the graphical user interface.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereineach of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected set have a samesize.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising executing on thecentral processor the steps of: defining a display attribute for a firstvariable; associating the first variable with each of the cells of theranges that are assigned to the selected set of ranges; and displayingthe cells of the selected set of ranges associated with the firstvariable with the defined display attribute.
 6. A method for providing aservice for self-replicating ranges of cells in a spreadsheet, themethod comprising: integrating computer-readable program code into acomputer system comprising a central processor, a computer readablememory and a computer readable hardware storage device, wherein thecomputer readable program code is embodied on the computer readabletangible storage device and comprises instructions for execution by thecentral processor via the computer readable memory, that cause thecentral processor to display a self-replication manager command within agraphical user interface spreadsheet editing menu to a user; display aself-replication manager menu within the graphical user interface to theuser in response to the user invoking the self-replication managercommand, wherein the self-replication manager menu comprises: a listingof a plurality of unique set names that are each assigned to one each ofa plurality of different sets of ranges of cells of a spreadsheet,wherein each of the unique set names are assigned to at least one of theranges, and each of the ranges of cells comprise a plurality ofdifferent cells of the spreadsheet; and a listing of at least one rangeof the plurality of the ranges that is assigned to one of the unique setnames and that is selected by a user input; and automatically enter anupdate entered by a user into one of the cells of the ranges of theselected set into all other ones of the cells of the ranges assigned tothe selected unique set name by: establishing a top record within a selfreplication table containing an address field of the unique set name, apattern of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected unique setname, and set and range indices of the cells of the ranges assigned tothe selected unique set name; setting the top record of the selfreplication table as the current record; and updating the all other onesof the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected unique set name setby retrieving the address field of the unique set name from the toprecord of the self replication table set as the current record andpasting the update entered by the user into the one of the cells intothe all other ones of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selectedunique set name that are pointed to by the retrieved address field. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein the central processor, executes theprogram instructions stored on the computer-readable storage device viathe computer readable memory, and thereby further displays within theself-replication manager menu: a suppress button that causes the centralprocessor to delete one of the ranges that is assigned to the selectedset of ranges from the list of ranges in response to a selection of thesuppress button by the user via the graphical user interface; and an addbutton that causes the central processor to assign another range that isidentified in a range field to the selected set of ranges in response toa selection of the add button by the user via the graphical userinterface.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the central processorexecutes the program instructions stored on the computer-readablestorage device via the computer readable memory, and thereby furtherdisplays within the self-replication manager menu: a rename button thatcauses the central processor to rename the unique name of the selectedset of ranges of cells with another unique name entered into a renametext box in response to a selection of the rename button by the user viathe graphical user interface.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein each ofthe cells of the ranges assigned to the selected set have a same size.10. The method of claim 9, wherein the central processor executes theprogram instructions stored on the computer-readable storage device viathe computer readable memory, and thereby further: defines a displayattribute for a first variable; associates the first variable with eachof the cells of the ranges that are assigned to the selected set ofranges; and displays the cells of the selected set of ranges associatedwith the first variable with the defined display attribute.
 11. Asystem, comprising: a central processor in communication with a computerreadable memory and a computer-readable storage device; wherein thecentral processor executes program instructions stored on thecomputer-readable storage device via the computer readable memory andthereby: displays a self-replication manager command within a graphicaluser interface spreadsheet editing menu to a user; displays aself-replication manager menu within the graphical user interface to theuser in response to the user invoking the self-replication managercommand, wherein the self-replication manager menu comprises: a listingof a plurality of unique set names that are each assigned to one each ofa plurality of different sets of ranges of cells of a spreadsheet,wherein each of the unique set names are assigned to at least one of theranges, and each of the ranges of cells comprise a plurality ofdifferent cells of the spreadsheet; and a listing of at least one rangeof the plurality of the ranges that is assigned to one of the unique setnames and that is selected by a user input; and automatically enters anupdate entered by a user into one of the cells of the ranges of theselected set into all other ones of the cells of the ranges assigned tothe selected unique set name by: establishing a top record within aself-replication table containing as address field of the unique setname, a pattern of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selectedunique set name, and set and range indices of the cells of the rangesassigned to the selected unique set name; setting the top record of theself replication table as the current record; and updating the all otherones of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected unique set nameset by retrieving the address field of the unique set name from the toprecord of the self replication table set as the current record andpasting the update entered by the user into the one of the cells intothe all other ones of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selectedunique set name that are appointed to by the retrieved address field.12. The system of claim 11, wherein the central processor executes theprogram instructions stored on the computer-readable storage device viathe computer readable memory, and thereby further displays within theself-replication manager menu: a suppress button that causes the centralprocessor to delete one of the ranges that is assigned to the selectedset of ranges from the list of ranges in response to a selection of thesuppress button by the user via the graphical user interface; and an addbutton that causes the central processor to assign another range that isidentified in a range field to the selected set of ranges in response toa selection of the add button by the user via the graphical userinterface.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the central processorexecutes the program instructions stored on the computer-readablestorage device via the computer readable memory, and thereby furtherdisplays within the self-replication manager menu: a rename button thatcauses the central processor to rename the unique name of the selectedset of ranges of cells with another unique name entered into a renametext box in response to a selection of the rename button by the user viathe graphical user interface.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein eachof the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected set have a samesize.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the central processor executesthe program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage devicevia the computer readable memory, and thereby further: defines a displayattribute for a first variable; associates the first variable with eachof the cells of the ranges that are assigned to the selected set ofranges; and displays the cells of the selected set of ranges associatedwith the first variable with the defined display attribute.
 16. Anarticle of manufacture, comprising: a computer readable hardware storagedevice having computer readable program code embodied therewith, thecomputer readable program code comprising instructions for execution bya computer central processor that cause the computer central processorto: display a self-replication manager command within a graphical userinterface spreadsheet editing menu to a user; display a self-replicationmanager menu within the graphical user interface to the user in responseto the user invoking the self-replication manager command, wherein theself-replication manager menu comprises: a listing of a plurality ofunique set names that are each assigned to one each of a plurality ofdifferent sets of ranges of cells of a spreadsheet, wherein each of theunique set names are assigned to at least one of the ranges, and each ofthe ranges of cells comprise a plurality of different cells of thespreadsheet; and a listing of at least one range of the plurality of theranges that is assigned to one of the unique set names and that isselected by a user input; and automatically enter an update entered by auser into one of the cells of the ranges of the selected set into allother ones of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selected uniqueset name by: establishing a top record within a self replication tablecontaining an address field of the unique set name, a pattern of thecells of the ranges assigned to the selected unique set name, and setand range indices of the cells of the ranges assigned to the selectedunique set name; setting the top record of the self replication table asthe current record; and updating the all other ones of the cells of theranges assigned to the selected unique set name set by retrieving theaddress field of the unique set name from the top record of the selfreplication table set as the current record and pasting the updateentered by the user into the one of the cells into the all other ones ofthe cells of the ranges assigned to the selected unique set name thatare pointed to by the retrieved address field.
 17. The article ofmanufacture of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program codeinstructions for execution by the computer central processor, furthercause the computer central processor to display within theself-replication manager menu: a suppress button that causes the centralprocessor to delete one of the ranges that is assigned to the selectedset of ranges from the list of ranges in response to a selection of thesuppress button by the user via the graphical user interface; and an addbutton that causes the central processor to assign another range that isidentified in a range field to the selected set of ranges in response toa selection of the add button by the user via the graphical userinterface.
 18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein thecomputer readable program code instructions for execution by thecomputer central processor, further cause the computer central processorto display within the self-replication manager menu: a rename buttonthat causes the central processor to rename the unique name of theselected set of ranges of cells with another unique name entered into arename text box in response to a selection of the rename button by theuser via the graphical user interface.
 19. The article of manufacture ofclaim 18, wherein each of the cells of the ranges assigned to theselected set have a same size.
 20. The article of manufacture of claim19, wherein the computer readable program code instructions forexecution by the computer central processor, further cause the computercentral processor to: define a display attribute for a first variable;associate the first variable with each of the cells of the ranges thatare assigned to the selected set of ranges; and display the cells of theselected set of ranges associated with the first variable with thedefined display attribute.